URGENT CALL TO MEMBERS WITH ECOSOC STATUS AND THOSE ACCREDITED (OEWG-accredited NGO) TO THE OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON AGEING :

Even though you can only watch the meeting on UN Web TV (http://webtv.un.org/) from 29 March to 1 April, there is an opportunity for you to submit written statements !!

They can be submitted to estatements@un.org. preferably before the session starts but can be submitted up to 2 hours before it ends.

We want as many written statements submitted as possible, on any or all of the focus areas (in separate written statements) as a testimony of the concerns from hundreds of NGOs about the lack of decision-making to start drafting an international legal document to protect and promote the rights of older persons. Member States must be made aware of the wide support for a convention.

Attached are some suggestions here that you may wish to include in your statements, which should not be more that 500 words per statement.

We need to inundate the UN with hundreds of written statements. Strength in numbers!

Please join in this effort !!

Please find attached a notification together with the Survey in French and Spanish on the above-mentioned subject. The English version sent on 27 November 2020 is also attached for ease of reference.

Kindly note that the new deadline to reply to the survey has been extended to 30 April 2021

In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) undertook a range of actions to help countries respond to the pandemic and navigate the policy choices ahead.

Specifically, DISD contributed to the early monitoring of the social impact of COVID-19 including in relation to inequality, poverty, social protection and vulnerable social groups, through the production of a series of policy briefs, Secretary-General’s reports and guidelines.

This evaluation seeks to assess the relevance and effectiveness of these products in responding to needs of our stakeholders. We would greatly appreciate your open and constructive feedback on how we can improve our products and future activities in this important area of work by responding to this survey by November 25, 2020. It should take you less than 10 minutes to complete it and all responses will be anonymous.

We greatly appreciate your valuable feedback! Link to the Survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6024833/UNDESA-DISD-COVID19

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact the evaluator at raul.guerrero.garcia@gmail.com 

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the African Union Youth Envoy are undertaking a publication to take stock of youth-led initiatives, innovations and networks in Africa. The publication will serve as an advocacy document intended for decision-makers, development partners, donors and will capture critical contributions of young people that have advanced the HIV response on the continent.

UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT

Online course

The Gender Impact of Technological Upgrading in Agriculture

23 November – 13 December 2020

The UNCTAD secretariat is pleased to inform permanent missions of member States in Geneva that the UNCTAD Trade, Gender and Development Programme will organize a special edition of its online course on trade and gender devoted to The Gender Impact of Technological Upgrading in Agriculture from 23 November to 13 December 2020 (for details, please see the attached prospectus).

The course, which will focus on analyzing the links between trade, gender and development and the effects of agricultural technology on women’s participation in production and trade, aims to:

• Enhance the understanding of the interactions between trade and gender and their links to countries’ inclusive development strategies;
• Analyse the impact of gender inequalities in agriculture on production and trade outcomes;
• Identify the constraints influencing women’s adoption and use of agricultural technologies, as well as possible solutions;
• Enhance knowledge on the types of technologies used in agrifood value chains and in sustainable agriculture;
• Provide participants with knowledge and skills for the design and implementation of gender-aware trade and development policies, including in the agriculture and technology fields, corresponding to the needs and interests of their countries.

The course targets policymakers, academics and representatives of civil society in developing countries involved in policy formulation and implementation, research, teaching and advocacy in the area of trade and gender. A limited number of applications from developed countries’ stakeholders will be considered. Qualified women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

Thanks to support from the Government of Finland, the selected participants will be exempt from fees associated with access to the course and the e-tutoring services provided.

Interested candidates should apply by following the instructions at: https://www.research.net/r/3RKC52R. The deadline for applications is 11 November 2020.

To obtain assistance with the online application process, please contact elearningtrade@un.org. Requests for further information or clarification about this course should be sent to: Ms. Simonetta Zarrilli, Chief, Trade, Gender and Development Programme, Division on International Trade and Commodities; e-mail: Simonetta.Zarrilli@un.org.

Download prospectus. 

The FACTI Panel is mandated to solicit comments and suggestions from interested stakeholders including policymakers and government officials, representatives of international agencies, academics, the private sector and members of civil society, both at its formal meetings and between them.

Dear friends,

The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is accepting applications for its 24^th grant cycle (2020). Civil society organizations are invited to submit grant proposals for a minimum of US$50,000 up to a maximum of US$1 million for a period of three years.

This year, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) is seeking applications from civil society organizations working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response and recovery to address and respond to violence against women and girls in the context of the current pandemic.

The funding will focus on responses to and prevention of violence against women and girls taking into account the intersectional marginalization of women in context of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly acknowledging the increased risk of violence for some groups including indigenous women, women with disabilities, older women, domestic workers and women without access to technology.

Applications from women’s rights, women-led, and small women’s organizations will be prioritized, in recognition of them being the driving force of the ending violence against women and girls agenda, as well as being at the forefront of reaching at-risk women and girls and survivors at the grassroots level.

The application deadline is 4 November 2020. Click here to apply

The complete Call for Proposals detailing criteria, eligibility requirements and application guidelines is available at: http://grants.unwomen.org/ or via the UN Trust Fund homepage.

Best regards,
UN Women

This survey is being carried out by the Financing for Sustainable Development Office of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to help us improve our work. We thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to complete the survey.